The John Deere Horicon Works, Horicon, Wis., last week produced the company’s 500,000th Gator utility vehicle, the XUV825i.

“Reaching this milestone of building 500,000 Gators is a significant accomplishment for our company, our employees and our customers,” said Dan Hoffman, factory manager, John Deere Horicon Works. “Our full line of Gator utility vehicles serves a wide range of customers who depend on their reliability and usefulness. That’s an obligation we take quite seriously.”

Production of the Gator product began in 1987 when John Deere first built the utility machines that preceded the Gator. Then in 1993, John Deere launched its Gator utility vehicle, which now has 17 different models and is sold to customers in agriculture, construction, turf care, recreation, and the military.

Deere & Co. is a global leader in providing advanced products and services for agriculture, forestry, construction, lawn and turf care, landscaping and irrigation. Deere also provides financial services worldwide, and manufactures and markets engines used in heavy equipment.